Airplane-fuselage construction



May 26, 1925. 1,538,962

L. C. WEINBERG AIRPLANE FUEELAGE CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 0, 1922 la-unto:

Patented May 26, 1925.

.. UNITED STA LOWELL C. WEINBERG, OI DAYTON, OHIO.

AIRPLANE-FUSELAGE CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed January 20, 1922. Serial- No. 530,628.

Toall whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOWELL C. Wninnnno, acitizen of the United States,- residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Airplane-Fuselage Construction, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in fuselage construction.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a fuselage of simple construction, the truss of which may be built-up from standardized units or sections so that quantity production is expedited Without sac, rificing quality and strength.

Other objects of the invention consisting of novel features of construction and arrangement of parts will become apparent as the description proceeds. The invention is hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which+ Figure 1 is a side elevation of a fuselage embodying one form of my invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of a portion of the fuselage showing the details of construction more clearly;

Figure 3 is a front view of one of the assembled units or sections;

Figure 4 is a side elevation of a portion of a fuselage embodying a Warren type of truss; and

Figure 5 is a front view of one of the structural units or sections thereof.

The fuselage is constructed of four longrons which are separated and reinforced by a truss consisting in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of vertical struts 11 and diagonal members 12, this truss being of the Pratt type. The longrons are curved inwardlyat the front and preferably terminate in a stamped steel nose plate 13.

The longrons converge toward the rear end of the fuselage and the two upper and two lower longrons are brought together in pairs one above the other and are joined to the tail post or vertical hingepost 14' on which the rudder (not shown) is mounted.

"Each of the struts 11 and diagonal members 12 consists of a substantially rectangular unit built up of side and end pieces 13, 14 having reinforcing blocks 15 nailed, screwed or glued in the corners thereof. Gussets 16 of plywood or other suitable material extend diagonally across the corners of the rectangular unit and are secured to the side and end pieces. N otches 17 are left at the corners of the units and in these notches of the struts longrons 10 are received. Gussets 18 of plywood or other suitable material are secured to the vertica struts, diagonal members and longrons at the panel points and spacing blocks l9'are placed'between the struts and longrons and between the diagonal members and longrons in order to provide a sturdy structure.

In Figs. 4 and 5 a Warren type of truss v is illustrated as embodied in my improved fuselage construction. In this case there are no vertical struts and' the diagonal members are composed of rectangular units with one of the ends missing. The side pieces of the rectangular units are designated by numeral 20, the end piece by 21 and the open end by 22. Reinforcing blocks 23 are placed in the corners of the rectangular unit at the closed end and gussets 24 extend diagonally across the corners and are'secured to side and end pieces 20,, 21 in order to provide a rigid structure. Spacing blocks 25 are inserted at the apex of adjoining units and between said units and the corresponding longron. Gussets 26 are secured to the longrons and diagonal members at the panel points. In assembling this type of truss the open ends 22 will alternately be placed, first at the-top and then at the bottom, the side pieces 20 at the open end being received in notches 27 at the corners of the closed end of the adjacent diagonal unit.

From Fig. 1 it is apparent that the struts and diagonal units must vary in dimension but this can be taken care of by having rectangular units of standard sizes properly identified for application at numbered panel points. It is intended that the structure will be covered with the usual fabric covering instead of plywood, however, if the latter be used the gussets 18 and 26 may be discarded.

With standardized fuselage design, the

truss units can be readily assembled in relation to the longrons, even by unskilled labor. In this way rapid and economical construction may be obtained without sacrificing quality. My invention enables quantity production on a large scale to be quickly obtained.

I claim:

In fuselage construction, longrons having fixed gussets at intervals in the length thereof, in combination with rectangular 5 truss units comprising side and cross members, said cross members being arranged beyond the extremities of said side members to provide exterior recesses to receive said A v I longerons, diagonal gussets at each corner of sald truss units for securing the side and cross members together, said truss units each in complete form being applied to the longrons and gussets and fastened to said gussets. .7

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

LQVVELL C. WEINBERG. 

